When in Germany...

After conferencing it up since Tuesday evening with representatives from 25 nations, we were able to take a little break yesterday afternoon/evening. The GO Conference is taking place in Mosbach, Germany, and it is cold! The snow started before we ever left the airport, and is still thick on the ground in places. While I prefer a snowless winter in any other situation, I can appreciate it in Germany this time of year. And it is "nice" snow. Really crunchy, and it doesn't turn to slush 45 minutes after it falls. We've walked (by choice!) from our hostel to the conference center every morning since arriving, and I don't even mind. Me. The one who hates the cold.

Anyway, back to the break we got yesterday, Todd and I and three other Americans attending the conference decided to take a little day trip into the nearby city of Heidelberg. The city has an old section with a really old castle, and a newer, modern-looking section (we didn't visit that part). We set out right after our final session, making a brief stop at a bakery a block away where I got schnitzel :) 

After buying our lunches we attempted to buy our train tickets at the station near the conference center. It was harder than we expected. Fortunately, a German-speaking conference worker happened by and was able to help us get our tickets. Everything was looking up! We were ready to board our first European train! We had a couple of false starts (i.e., taking the wrong train...twice) before finally making it to Heidelberg, but the drive was so pretty! The little German towns all covered in snow, the hills, the river, all the ornate little churches...this place is just adorable! 

It was SO cold as we walked around Heidelberg and the castle courtyards, but I'm still glad we were able to do some sightseeing. After we'd had our fill of the cold and the walking (it was over 300 stair steps to reach the castle), we made our way back down to the town and ate at a little cafe, the highlight of which was the dessert we took with us back to the hostel. Mine was a delicious apple strudel, Todd's a surprisingly light (despite it's appearance) black forest cake. 

The conference has been good; lot's of learning, socializing and eating. We haven't experienced completely horrible jetlag, which is a blessing, and all of our luggage made it safely here (an even bigger blessing!). 

Here are some pictures from the train drive to Heidelberg, Heidelberg and the castle, and our desserts :) Just to be honest...Todd took most of them. Enjoy!

View from the train ride.

Part of Heidelberg! Isn't it so pretty?

We took this road on our way to find the castle. 

Todd just really liked this door... :) 

Me, just outside the castle courtyard.

Panoramic view of the courtyard.

View of Heidelberg from the castle.

The apple strudel...so good, so good. 

On Our Way

I'll spare you the details of the morning...for me, they are mostly sad and wet :(

Our flight from Knoxville to Dallas left pretty close to on-time, and we spent the next 2.5 hours in the very back row of a miniature plane. We emerged stiff and starving, and set about finding our for real "last meal." Last American meal, that is.

The Dallas Fort Worth airport is huge and we landed in the same terminal from which we would be departing. For this reason, we opted to eat here, too. I have no idea what the pizza situation will be in Africa, but I thought it (per my mom's suggestion) better to be safe than sorry. I had my tastebuds all geared up for a nice greasy, cheese-less slice, only to find that the only pizza joint in our terminal was a sit-down restaurant. Airport restaurants are expensive enough without sitting down. We considered other options.

In the end, we both got chicken sandwiches and potato wedges from Fudruckers. It hit the spot :)

For the last 3 hours we've been sitting here at gate D22, listening to the attendants relay information on each new delay. At one point, they told us that the maintenance department hadn't determined whether the craft would be usable, but they would let us know as soon as a decision was reached.

I fail to see the necessity for debate.

Thankfully (obviously?!), they decided against the orignal plane, and we are awaiting our replacement from Los Angeles. It should be here any minute (that's airport time, mind you), and we are set to take off at 6:35pm. That puts us in Frankfurt, Germany at about 11:00am, a good deal later than we had thought.

The good news is no one around us in this massive gate area is causing a scene, that I can see. The weather here is beautiful, and now it will be dark for more of our flight, creating a more sleep-conducive environment. Todd and I have seats together (aisle and window! Yay!), and I have a bag full of Jelly Bellies, compliments of my mother-in-law. I think we're gonna make it.

While I did mention that the morning was sad, here are a few happy moments :)

Todd and his sisters.

Me and my youngest sister. 

Me and mom.

Me, mom, and dad. 

Todd and his mom. Happy Birthday! (or Melancholy Birthday, as I told her this morning)

The terribly handsome Todd, enjoying his last chicken sandwich. 

And we're off! Don't be fooled by our carefree expressions...our bags may be the death of our backs.